Albert Park, Auckland
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Albert Park is a scenic park in central Auckland, bounded by Wellesley Street East, Princes Street, Bowen Avenue and Kitchener Street. From the entrance at the corner of Bowen Ave and Kitchener St, sealed footpaths climb steeply through native trees to the large flat area at the summit, where flower gardens encircle a fountain.
To the north of the cast iron fountain (1881) is the bronze statue of Queen Victoria (1897); to the south is a bandstand (James Slator 1901). A large floral clock, constructed in 1953 with funds donated by Robert Laidlaw, founder of the Farmers department store chain, lies near the Princes Street exit in front of the University of Auckland clock tower pictured here.
There are other artworks and memorials in the park, including the marble Boer War memorial and a statue of Sir George Grey (1904), relocated to this spot from its first location outside the town hall.
Albert Park occupies much of the site of the Albert Barracks, one of Auckland's early European military fortifications, which in turn was built on the previous site of Te Horotiu pa. The barracks were converted into a public park in the 1880s, which originally had commanding views over the city and harbour. The view would now be of modern office blocks, except the mature specimen trees of the park have grown up and hide most of the buildings. A portion of the barracks wall survives on the university campus nearby.
One interesting aspect of Albert Park is that there are miles of tunnels under the park. These tunnels were built in 1941 to be used as air raid shelters, but they were sealed up after World War Two, and generally forgotten. The city council signed a contract in 1996 with tourism promotor William Reid to unseal them and create a tourist attraction, and related legislation was passed in 2001. However it is not known when this development might take place.
Albert Park is the site of one of the earliest volcanoes in the Auckland Volcanic Field, which erupted sometime between 60,000 and 140,000 years ago. While primarily a small scoria cone, it also sent small lava flows into the Queen Street valley.
